What do you do...

What do you do when you have two toddlers, a very low heat tolerance, no money, and it's 100 degrees outside?? Go to EVERY indoor play place you can think of in a single day-
The tubes at Rock Creek Church











McDonalds of course...with a sweet tea with lemon to cool me down;)





And the good 'ol living room where we spend 90% of our waking minutes.





Who could ask for more fun on a summer day??? Can you tell we are bored?

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A good day:)

Barnes and Noble storytime























After pool Popsicles









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Kellys Korner Link

One of my favorite bloggers Kelly, from Kellys Korner, posted a “Show Us Your Singles” posting this week. I have always thought this was a great idea and immediately thought of my good friend- Niki. It took some convincing, but she finally agreed to allow me to post something about her. Besides, this was a great opportunity to brag on one my favorite people! Niki is 32 years old and lives in Middle Georgia. She loves the Lord and is so much fun to be around. She is athletic, funny, intelligent, beautiful and very generous. She has a degree in dental hygiene. She is looking for someone who loves the Lord and family. We love Niki very much and we miss being around her. She is great with kids and would be an awesome mother one day. Our girls adore "Aunt Nik Nik" and she spoils them rotten!

If you know anyone that might be interested in getting to know Niki please show them our blog and either leave us a comment on this entry, find her on facebook or email her. Her email is nikismail25@yahoo.com and her facebook name is Niki Simmons.

We love you Niki!

 

Summer fun

Fathers Day lunch at Zaxbys with our Munson boys. Caroline wants to be a boy in her next life I think...

Here are some pictures from our stop in Nashville back in May to see our sweet friends The Spires.

Camden and Caroline

The whole bunch...Emily was obviously tired. To tired to sit up.

Sister snuggles

Dress up fun...

Bitter Sweet...

Today Emily and I dropped Caroline off at her first day of camp/school. She will be there from 9-1 each day this week (if we make it to Friday!) I packed her new backpack, her lunchbox, laid out her clothes the night before, and llabeled all of her belongings. When Caroline woke up this morning and I told her about her "big day" she was very excited and asked questions all morning long. We only had about an hour to get fed, dressed, and out the door, so the morning progressed quickly. She decided immediately that I was to carry her backpack, and she would be in charge of her lunchbox. She loves that lunchbox! So we drove to the church, me dealing with odd mommy-ish feelings about leaving her, her growing up, etc. No tears though. We got there, waiting outside until they opened the doors at 9:00 and then went in to find her name tag. She was at the FRONT of the line bypassing all the other families that were there. We grabbed her name tag, found her room, and stopped outside for just a single moment of hesitation on her part (I think...). I told her I was excited about meeting her teachers, opened the door, and she followed me inside. She said hello to her teachers and they asked if she wanted to put her lunchbox up on the counter...her response..."No. I'm ready to eat right now." We all giggled and I explained she would eat later on in the day and she gave it up fairly easily. She then darted off to see what new fun toys were there for her to play with...not a kiss, not a hug, not a smile...just going full speed ahead at the task at hand. I knew she would love it. I knew she'd be in heaven. I met the teachers and was out the door in no time. I tried to look back to see if I could spot her- but she was inside some play gym and was hidden from sight. I'm glad she liked her room and think her teachers were sweet. I think it looked like they were set up to have about 10 kids in her room. It should be perfect. I can't wait to pick her up and hear all about it. As Emily and I drove away I picked up the phone to call my sweet friend to document our 1st morning and choked back a few tears...which she told me she cried for me...and was able to get home without any sadness. Emily wanted to nap, so she has been sleeping for about 1.5 hours now and I haven't known what to do with myself!! I cleaned up our room, straightened the rest of the house and then sat down to document this milestone moment. One I probably will never forget...yes, call me crazy. But I am whole-heartedly attached to my girls and each minute away from them makes me enjoy the new stage of life we are approaching...but makes me miss them like crazy. Probably always will...even when they are 30. :)
PS. I didn't go picture-taking-crazy this morning because no one else around was taking minute by minute documentation of their child at school. So I may snap a few more this afternoon...but didn't want to feel TO silly. :)

Blueberry Picking

Saturday evening we headed out on a blueberry patch adventure! We drove about 30 minutes out of town to a beautiful farm that had blueberries for us to pick. Both girls enjoyed it...despite the fact that it was 100 degrees outside. Emily decided she would taste the blueberries as we were picking them, but refuses to eat them at home. Caroline loves them anytime! Brad "the gardener" was very interested in learning how we could add blueberries to his own garden...but I think after researching, it takes several years to establish some. So maybe next home, next city, next garden. :)

Caroline at 2 1/2

Here are some funny and endearing things our precious 2 year old is up to these days...

-She LOVES to play with her baby dolls. She feeds them, snuggles them, rocks them, puts them down for naps, bathes them, strolls them...anything you could think of. It is so neat to see her really adapt to this new idea of getting a "new baby" in our family. She talks about new baby everyday and is really starting to internalize the fact that I have a sweet new sister growing in my tummy. She has started hiking her pants up really high...lol...and then added one of her baby dolls inside of her hiked up pants and said she was having a baby like mommy. She is a bright one. She loves to "nurse" her babies and then proceed to talk through the stages of food babies eat- from mommy's milk, to rice cereal, bananas, baby food, etc. She likes to pick out clothes for the new baby to wear. She likes to fill her littlest sisters crib with special toys she picks out for her.
Funny story- Emily was wearing some of Carolines fairly recent pajama sets...because they are practically the same size. Caroline was upset and wanted them back and so I started into a serious discussion about how she is growing, and she is getting big, and she needs to wear them, and I think I said she is growing a million times...which is what Caroline correlates to the NEW baby. So Caroline goes into a random fit of rage (as we are getting in bed for the night) and I finally get her calmed down to understand her and she says "Get her out! Get her out! Get new baby out of your tummy. She is big! She is growing!" Caroline thought that I had said new baby had grown and was big and she was wanting to see her littlest sis. Precious moment for me. I can already tell this #3 is going to be loved unconditionally by ALL of us around her.
-Caroline is attached to her blankets...2 in particular that make there way around the house through out the day. If she ever gets hurt, upset or even if Emily gets hurt, those blankets are magic and help ease all the worry in the world. She still uses a passy in her bed only at bedtime...so those blankets are her comfort. I don't mind :)
-She loves to dress up in shoes, play clothes, jewelry, etc. She loves talking about the "Princesses" now. You know, Cinderella, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Snow White, and Jasmine. They are probably about to become a fabulous staple of the Hobbs household with all this estrogen flying around. I think its sweet...
-She is a great swimmer! She loves to play and frolic in the baby pool...but really gets a kick out of the big pool adventures when daddy is around. She will jump off the side a million times. She doesn't mind her head going under...she has always been a great water baby. She has a set of floaties she wears on her arms and she will kick and doggy paddle like a champ. Brad is a great teacher...I am still terrified if he moves more than a foot away from her. But she's learning and loves to swim right now.
-Her favorite drinks- lemonade and....Sprite. Yes. I finally gave in and let the girl get Sprite when we were at a restaurant. She loves it of course.
-She is obsessed with lollipops...Dum Dum suckers to be exact. They remedy ANY situation and for that I am grateful.
-Since our last trip to Georgia she will randomly ask to go back to Georgia. She will say "I haven't seen them in awhile", talking about our family, and ask if she can go to their houses. So sweet. I wish. I wish it were that easy.
-Caroline loves to talk through our day, any event that is coming up, or past experience...in DETAIL. We sit and she will listen to me forever as I tell her about what is going to happen (ie the babysitter that is coming tomorrow night...I walk her through the night and tell her everything that will happen) This is great because she likes the predictability and it eases her into the transition of new situations. The hard part? Making sure my story turns into actual reality..note to self...pick up stickers for Caroline and babysitter to play with tomorrow night! :) And, go ahead and pray for this sweet babysitter tomorrow night bc she will be putting both the girls to bed...lol...are we evil??
-Caroline loves to walk along me and the shopping cart when we are in a store now since Emily is sitting in the cart. She usually does a great job and is perfectly sweet. The other day we had to do a grocery shopping excursion and she was off the chain. Literally. She fell down like 14 times and screamed bloody murder once that the lady in the meat department ran to our aisle to "check" on us and make sure that she didn't see a "baby snatching" happening. REALLY??? I assured her that no, these were my children, she just fell and was upset, and probably looked at her very awkwardly until she left. Sweet...I GUESS....If in fact I was stealing a child...but clearly, not the case. So to ease the whole issue Caroline found a ball on the toy aisle. I let her have it...and even coerced her to try and kick it down the whole grocery aisle (that we were on) chase after it, then come back to me. She loved this game!! And it was only possible because we were in an almost deserted grocery store at a very good time of day. So she played this game the rest of the shopping trip. People probably thought I was crazy as Emily choked down a sucker and Caroline screamed like a giddy school girl chasing her ball down the aisle. Good news...I DON'T CARE!! We made it out alive, happy, and with groceries. Success.
-She loves her little Bible. She sleeps with it...no lie. Nap time, bed time, her little Bible is with her at all times. She will sit and skim the pages and really focus in on the picture of baby Jesus in the manger. She calls it God's word and loves to "quote" it. She says the following "Children obey parents. Be kind to one another. Jesus loves me. Jesus loves you. Jesus died on the cross. God made me." So good to see that God's word is already soaking into her little mind and heart. I have been reading Psalm 139 to her this week during our morning quiet time and she surprise me by saying "Psalm 139" as she was playing with her Bible. AMAZING what all her little mind is soaking up each day. What a challenge for me to be the BEST example I can.
-This morning her Sunday school teacher walked out to the parking lot with us after church and she said that Caroline was hilarious in class and that she adored her. She said she was SO smart and very verbal and such a helper. She loved having her in class. Oh it made my heart happy! I know she is brilliant...but to hear others talk about it, melts me. So on that note, I know she is ready for....
-Camp...Caroline is going to camp! Yes, camp! She is going to attend Little Life Academy (a church Mother's Day Out/Preschool program) for 2 days starting this fall. They have a 1 week summer camp/Bible School that I signed her up for. It is everyday this next week from 9-1pm. It is going to be a big adventure for her little self...but I know she will love it. Every minute of it. So...if mommy can actually LET GO tomorrow morning...Caroline will have a fabulous week at camp. She has a new backpack, a lunch box, and all her things labeled and ready to go. Very sweet and nostalgic...pictures to come tomorrow. Tear. But I am sure we will all enjoy the week- Emily and I have lots of important things to do. Like...I don't know...but we will figure it out.

And that is my sweet little firecracker in a nut shell. I love her to death.

Fathers Day 2011

We have the best daddy ever!! We enjoyed a morning at church, lunch out with the Munsons at Zaxbys, and an afternoon in the garden and playing in the yard. We grilled burgers tonight and will enjoy some fun tickles and snuggles before bed.
Love,
Caroline and Emily


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Emily at 15...well, almost 16 months

I have been meaning to sit (yeah right!) and record some precious things about sweet Emily at this age since her doctors visit. I used to sit at the computer and blog away until my heart was content...and now it usually consists of me jotting down a few chicken scratch notes on post-its and then finding a few seconds to type it on the computer. BUT..nonetheless, here are a few fun things about Emily at this exciting age.
-She loves loves loves to accessorize! She usually has on anywhere from 1-3 necklaces and a few bracelets. Her favorites are the mardi gras beads our neighbor keeps giving us. She puts them on herself and is very protective of them.
-Words she says- Mama, dada, Izzy, Go!Go! Go! Go! (from Cat in the Hat cartoon),Elmo, woof woof, quack quack, moo, and then she preaches in her own jibber jabber very fiercely. She will "converse" for a few minutes telling us things...who knows what we are agreeing to. :)
-She loves the song If you are happy and you know it- she will clap, stomp, and raise her hands (sometimes says Amen) She also likes the 5 little ducks song and will quack along appropriately.
-She enjoys being tickled and lets out the most precious giggles you have ever heard!
-She follows Caroline from room to room, activity to activity, and gets very excited whenever big sis is around.
-She is still an Elmo fan and most recently has fallen for Barney.
-She really loves sitting in their green chair in the living room. She will crawl all over it, sit and relax in it whenever we are in the living room.
-She still LOVES Isabelle our cat and gets ecstatic each time we see her outside.
-She is teething a little bit now- maybe some bottom teeth?
-She has become attached to her blankets and will walk to her crib and pull them out throughout the day when she needs it.
-She is HATING her diaper changes these days and it resembles wrestling a wild pig when it is in fact time to do the change.  Also when she gets cleaned up after meals...you would think we were hurting the poor thing!
-She has the "iphone" obsession...she constantly wants it- but doesn't know what to do with it yet. She usually just watches youtube videos of Barney and we roam from video to video.
-She loves the pool...so much that it scares us to death. She is not afraid to put her face/head/body under and exerts all her energy "diving" the entire time we are in the pool. It's as if her legs go limp in the water and whoever is "guarding" her has to be on guard every single second. She just smiles and laughs- even if she has water up her nose. Needless to say, going to the pool without backup probably won't happen a lot this summer. The 2 of them seem to require much more attention than one person can provide.
All in all she is an amazing little girl...her red curly hair and sweet sweet chubby rolls turn me inside out! She is precious and we all continue to fall more and more in love with her fiery personality.